Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

The developer of Main Street Oak Ridge has asked for changes or the removal of some conditions recommended by city officials as they consider possible changes to the master plan for the 58-acre project.

The developer, TN Oak Ridge Rutgers LLC, said last week that it will not be able to comply with a request from the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission to include a significant central gathering space as part of Phase III. It has asked to remove language calling for a commitment to create a mixed-use center along Wilson Street. It also wants to remove language calling for significant multi-family residential units as part of the potential mixed-use center along Wilson Street.

TN Oak Ridge Rutgers, which is affiliated with RealtyLink of Greenville, South Carolina, was responding to 10 conditions recommended by the Planning Commission when it approved a revised master plan in a split 5-4 vote during a special meeting on Wednesday, December 5.

What happens next will be up to Oak Ridge City Council, which will consider the proposed revisions during a special meeting Tuesday evening.

One revision that initially caused concern appears to have been accepted, at least so far. That’s the closure of the access road from Rutgers Avenue to the roundabout at Main Street Oak Ridge. That access road would be removed to allow four new stores to be built between PetSmart, a new store, and JCPenney, an anchor store remaining from the former Oak Ridge Mall. The conditions recommended by Planning Commission did not mention the access road. It’s not clear what Council’s position will be.[Read more…]

Main Street West is pictured above at Main Street Oak Ridge on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The city’s acceptance of three rebuilt roads at Main Street Oak Ridge triggered $1.5 million in funding for the public improvement work.

The Oak Ridge City Council unanimously agreed to accept the roads—Main Street East, Main Street West, and Wilson Street—in a 7-0 vote on Monday, November 13.

The developer, TN Oak Ridge Rutgers LLC, which is affiliated with RealtyLink of Greenville, South Carolina, has certified $1.84 million worth of public improvements to the three roads. Most of that, or $1.28 million of it, was for asphalt, base, earthwork, demolition, storm and “wet utilities,” among other work, according to a letter to Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson from Manager Phillip J. Wilson.

The next largest portion of the costs, roughly $320,000, was for electrical work. There were also land costs of $179,000, according to Wilson’s letter to Watson. [Read more…]

The demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is pictured in this aerial view provided by Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, of Hendersonville, Tenn., on Monday, Aug. 22, 2016. The concrete slab in the center foreground is the area of the former Sears store, and the area behind it is the enclosed space between Belk, at left, and the former Proffitt’s men and housewares store, right center. Walmart is the white-roofed building partially pictured at right center. The former Sears auto shop was near Walmart. JCPenney is at center background at the far end of the L-shaped mall. (Photo courtesy EAI)

Note: This story was updated at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 23.

The demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is pictured above in the aerial view provided Monday by Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, of Hendersonville, Tennessee.

On Thursday, EAI, the demolition and environmental contractor, said demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall was about 50 percent complete. The work appears to have proceeded quickly even since then, based on this aerial view. Most notably, piles of scrap metal that were in the area of the former Sears store, in the center foreground in the picture above, appear to have been hauled away.

Last week, EAI said it expected to start removing concrete slabs beginning this week. On Tuesday, August 23, it appeared that workers had, in fact, started tearing up the concrete slab near the former pick-up and drop-off door at the former Sears store, near Belk.

Demolition started at the former Sears store on Tuesday, July 26. It’s proceeded quickly from there to include the enclosed space next to Belk, which will remain in the redeveloped site, east toward Rutgers Avenue and the former Proffitt’s men’s and housewares store. The demolished space also included the area in the mall that was most recently used as a conference center. [Read more…]

Demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is about 50 percent complete, a contractor said Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. The view pictured above is from near Belk, in front of the former pick-up and drop-off door at Sears, looking east toward the former Proffitt’s men’s store and Rutgers Avenue. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is about 50 percent complete, a contractor said Thursday.

Demolition started at the former Sears store on Tuesday, July 26. It’s proceeded quickly from there to include the enclosed space next to Belk, which will remain in the redeveloped site, east toward Rutgers Avenue and the former Proffitt’s men’s store. Close to one half of the enclosed L-shaped mall space had been demolished as of Thursday, August 18. The demolished space also included the area in the mall that was most recently used as a conference center.

Workers are moving counterclockwise toward JCPenney, which will also remain and be part of the redeveloped site, known as Main Street Oak Ridge.

Demolition could be complete within 60 days, or about mid-October, said Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, the demolition and environmental contractor. [Read more…]

Demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is about 50 percent complete, a contractor said Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Pictured above is the entrance to the former mall on the north side of Walmart. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is about 50 percent complete, a contractor said Thursday.

Demolition started at the former Sears store on Tuesday, July 26. It’s proceeded quickly from there to include the enclosed space next to Belk, which will remain in the redeveloped site, east toward Rutgers Avenue and the former Proffitt’s men’s store. Close to one half of the enclosed L-shaped mall space had been demolished as of Thursday, August 18. The demolished space also included the area in the mall that was most recently used as a conference center.

Workers are moving counterclockwise toward JCPenney, which will also remain and be part of the redeveloped site, known as Main Street Oak Ridge.

Demolition could be complete within 60 days, or about mid-October, said Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, the demolition and environmental contractor. [Read more…]

Demolition of the enclosed unused spaces at the former Oak Ridge Mall started at the former Sears store on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, as developer Realty Link of Greenville, South Carolina, starts construction on Main Street Oak Ridge, a 58-acre open-air mixed-use development that will include eight new stores in addition to Belk and JCPenney. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Demolition of the enclosed unused spaces at the former Oak Ridge Mall started at the former Sears store on Tuesday. Here are photos of the work.

The demolition is expected to include the enclosed space between Belk and JCPenney, the two remaining anchors at the former mall.

Demolition could last three months, and the construction of two new stores, T.J. Maxx and Dick’s Sporting Goods, could start where the former Sears building is in October, said Neil Wilson, principal of RealtyLink, the Greenville, South Carolina, company that is redeveloping the property.

Plans call for replacing the former mall with Main Street Oak Ridge, an open-air, 58-acre, $75 million mixed-use development that could include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and a hotel. Belk and JCPenney are part of Main Street Oak Ridge, and they remain open during demolition of the mall’s enclosed spaces and construction of new stores. [Read more…]

Demolition of the former Oak Ridge Mall began Tuesday. Crews demolished a significant part of the former Sears store Tuesday morning, July 26, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 12:15 p.m.

Demolition of the former Oak Ridge Mall began Tuesday. Crews demolished a significant part of the former Sears store Tuesday morning.

The demolition is expected to include the enclosed space between Belk and JCPenney, the two remaining anchors at the former mall.

Plans call for replacing the former mall with Main Street Oak Ridge, a 58-acre, $75 million mixed-use development that could include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and a hotel. Belk and JCPenney are part of Main Street Oak Ridge, and they remain open during demolition of the mall’s enclosed spaces and construction of new stores. [Read more…]

Demolition of the former Oak Ridge Mall began Wednesday, July 20, 2016, with a ceremonial groundbreaking and the knocking down of a wall near the former Goody’s store, starting construction on a 58-acre mixed-use retail development known as Main Street Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 7 p.m.

Demolition of the former Oak Ridge Mall began Wednesday with a ceremonial groundbreaking and the knocking down of a wall near the former Goody’s store, starting construction on a 58-acre mixed-use retail development known as Main Street Oak Ridge.

Demolition could last three months, and the construction of two new stores, T.J. Maxx and Dick’s Sporting Goods, could start where the former Sears building is in October. New stores could open in the spring of 2017.

Officials, business representatives, and the community celebrated with a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday. About 300 or more people attended. After the groundbreaking on a hot, sunny summer afternoon, those celebrating, including children and adults, had a chance to spray graffiti on part of the old mall as a fundraiser for the renovation of Blankenship Field.

Main Street Oak Ridge is now the largest multi-tenant commercial retail project in the city, said Parker Hardy, president of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. [Read more…]

As part of the Main Street Oak Ridge groundbreaking on Wednesday, you will have a chance to spray paint on part of the old mall in exchange for a $10 donation, and the money raised will be used for the Blankenship Field Renovation Project.

It’s part of the Main Street Oak Ridge celebration at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 20. The City of Oak Ridge is helping to raise the money for Blankenship Field.

“The fundraising opportunity will be one of the last items in the program, after the groundbreaking and ceremonial demolition we have planned,” a city statement said. “Participants will be asked to donate $10 to the field renovation project. In return, they’ll get to spray paint a designated area on the outside of the old mall building. People can write whatever they’d like (as long as it’s tasteful), but we see this as a special opportunity for the community to bid the ‘mall’ farewell.” [Read more…]

RealtyLink, the Greenville, South Carolina, company developing Main Street Oak Ridge at the former Oak Ridge Mall, has said demolition machinery would be at the site the week of July 18. Above, some machinery is pictured at the site on Monday, July 18, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The city has released a few more details on the groundbreaking at Main Street Oak Ridge on Wednesday. The main details are the location and the names of some of the participants.

The groundbreaking is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, inside the fence on the JCPenney, Belk, and Cinemark Tinseltown side of the 300 block of East Main Street.

Those scheduled to participate are Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch, members of Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce President Parker Hardy, and others who have played a significant role in project development.

Workers from Danny Davis Electrical Contractors Inc. of Maryville set up parking lot lighting that will be used at Belk and JCPenney during demolition of the enclosed space between the two anchor stores at the former Oak Ridge Mall as part of the 58-acre redevelopment known as Main Street Oak Ridge. A worker is pictured above near the former Goody’s store on Monday, July 18, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

On Monday, workers from Danny Davis Electrical Contractors Inc. of Maryville were setting up parking lot lighting that will be used at Belk and JCPenney during demolition of the enclosed space between those two stores as part of the 58-acre redevelopment known as Main Street Oak Ridge.

Wiring to the existing parking lot lights is expected to be disconnected as part of the redevelopment, which is at the former Oak Ridge Mall.

Danny Davis Electrical has been at the Main Street Oak Ridge site since the beginning of last week. They’ve had to find existing electrical lines and determine how they were controlled, foreman Greg Miller said. [Read more…]

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department cuts and plugs an unused fire line near the former Sears store at the former Oak Ridge Mall on Thursday, July 14, 2016. The work is being done in preparation for the demolition of the former mall, which will be replaced by Main Street Oak Ridge, a 58-acre mixed-use development. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was updated at 1:15 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department was cutting and plugging an unused fire line near the former Sears store at the former Oak Ridge Mall on Thursday morning, preparing for the demolition of the former mall and construction of Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre mixed-use redevelopment that will replace it.

About 4,000 feet of construction fencing was put up Tuesday and Wednesday around the unused enclosed space between the mall’s two remaining anchors, Belk and JCPenney. That fencing was erected before the start of demolition, which could start next week, according to RealtyLink, the Greenville, South Carolina, company redeveloping the property.

Water meters on unused lines or areas of the mall that are being demolished were disconnected on Monday and Tuesday at the request of the developer, said Rick Irwin, Oak Ridge Public Works operations and maintenance manager. [Read more…]